Spliced loom and overfilled oil.... Great way to start my first Moab trip!

Troop92

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
This will most likely be the last word on the JiffyLube Saga.

I was tired of being jerked around, played with, so I called up the RM and told him as much, that I wasn't willing to waste another day going to/from SLC to meet with him or not because he wouldn't give me a firm time. He said that he could meet with me this evening, as he was not up in Davis County (which he wasn't going to be on Friday). So I rolled into the Kaysville location (since the Fairfield one was experiencing a power outage.)

He was cordial, but I could tell right away that he wasn't vested and was pretty much sure of his decision before even seeing things. So he got down in the pit, had me get down and show him where the loom had originally run, and explain what happened. I told him that the anchored zip ties were just forward (toward grill) of the filter, as the car is old (I never said it wasn't) all it would have taken was a wayward wrench or glove if someone wasn't paying attention to hit it and cause the issue. He was focused on where the loom was in relation to the fan when it happend -- something I don't know nor could I have. I explained that we had to trim out a lot of mangled wire, and how the loom ran differently than it did right then, that we had to pull, un-loom, and make it work to get things good. He said "uh huh... but it looks like the loom contacted it here. (pointing to left side far far from the filter)." Yeah, that's where we had to trim it back to that point, but it came in contact and killed it way way farther down as it was sucked up and mangled.

So I explained it all again, he was giving me that "He's not changing my mind with anything" look... I was finishing up, when he got a phone call from someone. He had bluetooth on, said "sorry" and clicked what he thought was the call off. I continued - and then 10 seconds later said "hello??" and then said "I thought I turned that off, hold on." And then, rather than tell them to call back - he proceeded to talk to whoever (sounded like another irate customer) for TWELVE MINUTES while I stood there. No joke. TWELVE MINUTES. The tech that was helping him looked embarrassed for me. He asked if he could put the skid plate back on and top me off. I said sure. I went upstairs and stood against my rig, just waiting.

He finally finished, came over and said "I thought I had turned off that call.... So, what I'm willing to do is reimburse for the oil change since you claim we overfilled it, but I don't see how we could have caused the loom to become loose. That's what I'm willing to do." I pointed out that it was running like crap, that you don't overfill engines for a reason, and he said "well, I don't think we can be sure what caused that, as I don't feel we did anything to the loom. I want to make it right by you, but I have to think of the company too....."

I fought him more, it was clear I wasn't leaving until I said something. Painfully clear. So in frustration, and honestly to keep me from hitting him, I said "yeah, that the LEAST you should be doing..." He said "okay!" and stuck out his hand. I didn't do anything at first, but again, clear he wasn't letting me out of the bay, so I gave him a deadfish and said "i'm not pleased." He said "I'll call you tomorrow for the invoice on the service to get that reimbursed since the other location is closed..."

So that's that. I feel defeated and dejected. I don't believe in coincidence, never have, and I don't think that in my 30k miles of ownership it was the 4 miles after taking it to JiffyLube that all hell broke loose. All I can hope for now is that a tune-up will negate the ill effects. Hoping I don't need seals/rebuild, because I know that isn't going to happen with the kid here and wife working just part-time now. So much for that pipe dream of having a Moab/trail rig.
 

Kevin B.

Not often wrong. Never quite right.
Moderator
Location
Vehicular limbo
I feared that was going to be the response. I think your only chance at getting them to take responsibility vanished when you didn't immediately call them and make them pay for a tow back to their garage.

So now the truck runs rough. That sucks, but don't borrow trouble... start by putting a permanent repair on the harness, if you haven't already. Then if it's still running poorly, do your basic tuneup stuff - start with the plugs, because the condition of the plugs can tell you a lot. Borrow a compression tester and do a compression test while the plugs are out. Between the two, you'll have a much better idea if there's anything serious lurking.
 

Troop92

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
...start by putting a permanent repair on the harness, if you haven't already. Then if it's still running poorly, do your basic tuneup stuff - start with the plugs, because the condition of the plugs can tell you a lot. Borrow a compression tester and do a compression test...

I have everything for this already - plugs, wires, filter, oil, might even do a few O2 sensors. I'll do it, along with compression. Doesn't make it any less infuriating.

While the tow would have been the best bet, the furious, pig-headed me that had dropped money on a deposit and really wanted to have a good first time in Moab... wanted a good time in Moab.
 

moab_cj5

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
I will give you a call tomorrow. I was on the road all day today and apologize for not getting to you today. I know a way to escalate this with Jiffy Lube higher than the DM. Can't promise anything, but it is worth the shot.
 

Kevin B.

Not often wrong. Never quite right.
Moderator
Location
Vehicular limbo
While the tow would have been the best bet, the furious, pig-headed me that had dropped money on a deposit and really wanted to have a good first time in Moab... wanted a good time in Moab.

I hear ya. Can't say I would have played it any different.
 

Troop92

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
An update on all if this. I was furious with Jiffy Lube and couldn't let it go. So, I called the actual JL Customer Service corporate line. I left a message (after hours) in detail on all of the situation, to include the crap behavior of the regional manager. I got a call back the next day from a rep, and he had me tell the entire story from start to finish, including any attempt at fixing the situation by the regional manager.

He listened patiently, and after I finished there was a long pause. He finally said "well, I agree that we could have done better, and I'd like to know what is going on." He instructed me to take it to a shop if my choosing and have them look it over, and let them know where I was taking it and keep them informed of the outcome.

I settled on Egan Automotive in Kaysville (at the recommendation of moab_cj5) and got approval from JL. Dropped it off Dec 9th, and told them the whole story. Throughout the process they kept me informed of every step and worked on it between jobs to keep cost down.

They only checked things that had a high likelihood of being an issue, nothing that was just a bandaid. They checked timing (good), compression (good), electrical tested good, though found really fouled plugs. They moved on to exhaust/emissions, found a fried O2 sensor. The checked for blocked cats (no) and manifold issues (no). In one of our update conversations, he asked about the loom again and I explained that all again and something clicked - he said he was getting ghost signals from the O2, like a connection was spiking. So the loom was pulled, fixed, and voila, the Trooper lives!

So here we sit. The Trooper is fixed to the tune of $600, which is generous in my mind, considering the time spent finding the issue without just trying to bandaid it. Now I have calls in to the two contacts at JL to see what will be done. In my mind, it is entirely their fault. I give it to them for an oil change, then not 3 miles later all hell breaks lose.

We'll see....
 
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Troop92

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
$600 seems like a swell price to have it up and running again!

One they should cover....

I left them both super clear, detailed messages including the shop name with contact info, and what does the regional manager do? He calls me, leaves a message (I was in a meeting), and says "hi, call me, I want to talk to you and need to know what shop you took it to do I can talk to them. Call me."

Hi, you approved the location initially, and you could have listened to my message.... Batting 1000, this one.
 
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Troop92

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
Well, that's that. Posted earlier that I called Ben/Sterling and informed them of Egan's findings. Sterling told me that he wanted to see the vehicle again, and base his decision off of that, after talking to Egan. Egan was open to that, so he went. Sterling called me after and asked me "if I had my radiator recently replaced." I told him no, and he said "Well, you're missing the lower shroud, so that's why your wires got shredded. They were free to get pulled into the fan, all those wires would get sucked in since the shroud wasn't there. Based on how the wires are now, and seeing it all, I don't feel, again, that we had any involvement in this happening to your vehicle."

I've owned/driven the vehicle for 4 years. Clearly it doesn't matter to JL that the loom (I change my oil myself, remember) has never been loose or free to get eaten by the fan. Odd that not 3 miles after they changed my oil the problems began, interesting that you suddenly have something to blame it on that wasn't an issue before, and once more you're ignoring the tie-down points that were compromised in favor of where loom was sliced.

While I respect that they're doing their jobs, throughout the whole process I've felt JL Management to be dismissive of the issues and of me, the customer. If a customer comes into your store, and you say you'll call them, you call them. If you schedule a meeting with a customer, you show up, or tell the customer you have to reschedule, you don't leave them hanging for hours on end. If your customer is standing in front of you, you don't take a call and leave them hanging for 12 minutes while you talk to another irate customer. All I know is that they've lost my business, and most likely those that will listen to my experience.

DONE AND DONE :mad:
 

Tonkaman

Well-Known Member
Location
West Jordan
Thanks for keeping us informed throughout the process. I'll be sure to pass this message along to people for the rest off life.
F U JL !
 

jeep-N-montero

Formerly black_ZJ
Location
Bountiful
Eek, sorry to hear of this, I have changed my own oil since my first $1200 beater in high school back in 1994. It should run even better after the tune up if the shop didn't already do it for you.
 

Troop92

Well-Known Member
Location
Layton, UT
Eek, sorry to hear of this, I have changed my own oil since my first $1200 beater in high school back in 1994. It should run even better after the tune up if the shop didn't already do it for you.

The funny thing is that after Moab I was going to do all the tune up stuff, so I had must of it - plugs, filters, etc. The shop kindly used all my parts. Super impressed with Egan Auto.
 
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